Vice President Report 19 October 2025
Shortly after last year’s AGM, we had Edward Santow, the former Australian Human Rights Commissioner present the Derek Fielding Memorial Lecture on the intersection of Human Rights and Artificial Intelligence. This was an excellent presentation and a topic which I suspect will continue to vex law and society for many years to come. However, this just reinforces the importance of the work that we do and the constant need for input into the development and application of technology to ensure that human rights and civil liberties remain in the forefront of policy decisions.
We continued this focus on human rights throughout the year including hosting the Councils for Civil Liberties at an event under the banner of “It’s Time for a National Human Rights Act” with guest speaker, Scott McDougall.
At last year’s AGM, I mentioned that I am completing a PhD at Deakin University on the topic of Surveillance Law Reform and Digital Constitutionalism. Surveillance is pervasive and it affects all of us. It is also a practice that is changing rapidly, and it has been observed that:
“many contemporary theoretical approaches to surveillance revolve around de-centralised forms of surveillance, with many watching many and with various permutations of machines and humans watching machines and humans. What binds many strands together are core questions of power and control, of who watches whom in which settings for what reasons; and these questions are asked in settings of technological infrastructures and tools, where technology functions as an intermediary of power or control dynamics”[1]
The research that I am doing intentionally aligns with the aims of the QCCL and the role we play as advocates for a federal Human Rights Act. It is positive to see that reviews and inquiries into Australia’s surveillance landscape have reached similar conclusions to our own - that is, surveillance power lack proper transparency and oversight, and that is particularly concerning given Australia’s lack of enforceable human rights laws.
On 1 September 2025, the Independent National Security Legislation Monitor published a Report of the Monitor’s review of Data Disruption, Network Activity and Account Takeover Powers in the Surveillance Legislation Amendment (Identify and Disrupt) Act 2021. The INLSM's Report provides twenty-one (21) recommendations as to the operation, effectiveness and implications of these powers and includes the establishment of a new system for issuing warrants with a panel of retired judges as the issuing authority, public interest monitors, and a mechanism for access to independent technical advice.
This is a positive step towards a proper check and balance being applied over Australia’s over-zealous conscription of the private sector to its surveillance power. I expect that the Government will introduce a consolidated electronic surveillance Bill at some stage within the next year (although I am not holding breath given that this Bill was expected to have been introduced in 2023). When this happens, our work in reigning back surveillance power and promoting the liberties of Queenslanders will really begin - and I am optimistic that the outcomes to reports, such as the recent INSLM report, will set the scene for actually making a difference.
I am pleased that each year I have been able to recount the work of the QCCL through the year and to be able to give the membership these tangible outcomes to the time and effort which goes into “watching them while they are watching you”.
As a fuller recount, the following submissions and media releases have been made this year:
● A media statement on Jack’s Law on 24 October 2024 where Terry O’Gorman made the powerfully clear point that “State Government policies under the Law and Order banner should be directed across the board at community safety and saving lives”.
● Michael Cope joined Prof. A. J. Brown of Transparency International and John Shipton of the Assange Campaign for a discussion on Whistleblowing in Australia, with particular reference to famed whistleblower David McBride on 8 November 2024.
● On 8 November 2024, the QCCL wrote to the Queensland Police Service and the Queensland Crime & Corruption Commission following pre-trial publication of criminal history becoming an increasing tendency in the aftermath of an arrest.
● On 14 November 2024, we made a submission to the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee in relation to proposed changes to hate crime legislation.
● A media statement on the (seemingly absurd) laws banning children under 16 from social media on 25 November 2024.
● On 3 December 2025, we made a submission in relation to the Making Queensland Safer Bill 2025 (aka the “Adult Crime, Adult Time” legislation).
● We made a media release which set out the QCCL’s specific concerns with the “Adult Crime, Adult Time” legislation.
● A media release on 16 December 2024 again highlighting our opposition to Jack’s Law.
● On 18 December 2024, we made a submission into the Independent National Security Legislation Monitor’s Review of the Surveillance Legislation Amendment (Identify and Disrupt) Act 2021.
● On 20 February 2025, I attended a public hearing for the Independent National Security Legislation Monitor’s Review of the Surveillance Legislation Amendment (Identify and Disrupt) Act 2021.
● A media statement on 3 March 2025 calling out the callous homelessness policy where the Moreton Bay Regional Council decided to evict homeless persons from parks with a public camping ban.
● On 11 March 2025, Terry O’Gorman made a submission in relation to the Crime and Corruption (Restoring Reporting Powers) Amendment Bill 2025.
● On 14 March 2025, we made a submission opposing the extension of Jack’s Law.
● A media release on 17 March 2025 opposing a public sex offender register.
● On 10 April 2025, with Katherine Gough’s significant input and awareness, we wrote to the Brisbane City Council and the Queensland Government following the announcement that the Brisbane City Council had withdrawn its funding from the Queensland Music Awards, following musician and award winner Kellee Green’s acceptance speech for her composition ‘River to Sea’.
● On 29 April 2025, we hosted a national event with the Councils for Civil Liberties calling for a national human rights Act.
● A media release on 2 May 2025 opposing police protection directions which would enable police - not Courts - to make an order against a person lasting for up to twelve (12) months.
● On 13 May 2025, we made a submission in response to the Queensland Law Reform Commission’s consultation proposals for criminal defences.
● On 20 May 2025, we made a submission in relation to legislation for the Olympics, being the Planning (Social Impact and Community Benefit) and Other Amendment Bill 2025.
● On 28 May 2025, we made a submission in response to the Domestic and Family Violence Protection and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2025.
● On 11 June 2025, I attended the Phase 3 consultation for the Privacy Impact Assessment being conducted for the 2026 Census.
● A media release opposing changes to the public drunkenness laws on 13 June 2025.
● On 10 September 2025, we made a submission in relation to Daniel’s Law.
● On 22 September 2025, we met with the Independent National Security Legislation Monitor to discuss his review of the definition of terrorism.
● On 22 September 2025, we made a submission into the inquiry into the Internet Search Engine Services Online Safety Code and the social media ban for persons under the age of sixteen.
● On 1 October 2025, we made submissions in response to the Freedom of Information Amendment Bill 2025.
● On 5 October 2025, I gave the keynote speech at Just Peace Qld Inc’s Concert for Palestine.
● On 7 October 2025, I attended a Roundtable for the proposed amendments to Digital ID and Accreditation Rules and made comments about the operation of rule 4A.2(2) of the Digital ID Amendment (Redress Framework and Other Measures) Rules 2025.
● On 8 October 2025, we made a submission in response to proposed amendments to Digital ID and Accreditation Rules.
● On 9 October 2025, we made a joint submission with the NSWCCL and Liberty Victoria in response to the Review of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2025.
I thank the executive for their tireless work in keeping abreast of issues and in keeping the QCCL’s voice active across a wide range of issues. The QCCL’s role in promoting and protecting civil liberties is clearly important and it is excellent to be able to report that we are making a positive impact.
As I concluded my report last year, I again urge the membership to reach out to their networks and encourage friends, family and colleagues to donate to the QCCL and remain ever vigilant that what happens today can and will impact the generations that follow us.
Angus Murray, Vice President
Queensland Council for Civil Liberties
19 October 2025
[1] Galic, M., Timan, T. & Koops, B. J. (2017). Bentham, Deleuze and beyond: An overview of surveillance theories from the panopticon to participation. Philosophy and Technology, 30(9), 9-37, Page 33.